Jed York Attends Food Bank Awards

49ers CEO attends Second Harvest Food Bank Awards.

On Thursday, April 4, 2013, Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties hosted the 22nd Annual Make Hunger History Awards, where Silicon Valley companies, schools and individuals were recognized for their help and generosity during this year’s Holiday Food and Fund Drive.

49ers CEO Jed York, who was the Food and Fund Drive’s co-chair for the second year in a row, along with this year’s co-chairs Barracuda Networks CEO B.J. Jenkins and Dan Campbell of EMC, handed out dozens of awards to the groups and individuals who helped Second Harvest toward its $12.4 million goal.

During the awards ceremony, Jed York spoke passionately about his two-year journey as co-chair of the Holiday Food and Fund Drive, what it meant for him to help make hunger history, and the deep impact the community can have when it comes to feeding the hungry.

“When you look at a champion, a champion is someone who finds a way to feed their kids when they don’t have anything else,” said York. “Think about that for yourself. Think about your families. Would you not eat so that your kids could eat? Absolutely. There are a lot of people in this community who have to make those choices. They don’t eat so that their kids can eat. That’s where we come in and we provide $12.1 million with the additional funds that came in this month, and 2 million pounds of food. That’s what we’re here for and I just want to thank everyone in this room, from the corporations at the 25 million pound level, to the kids that are thinking creatively and giving their allowance money to help feed other people.”

Second Harvest’s Holiday Food and Fund Drive ended up falling $300,000 short of its goal; however, as soon as this was made known to the public that this represented 600,000 meals that wouldn’t be served, the community’s response was astounding, bringing in $483,000.

Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties is the trusted leader dedicated to ending local hunger. Since its inception in 1974, Second Harvest has become one of the largest food banks in the nation, providing food to an average of nearly one quarter of a million people each month. The Food Bank mobilizes individuals, companies, and community partners to connect people to the nutritious food they need. Nearly half of the food distributed is fresh produce. Second Harvest also plays a leading role in promoting federal nutrition programs and educating families on how to make healthier food choices.